A CARDROSS footballer of yesteryear could lay claim to being a champion of the world.

Born in the village on October 2 1865, Robert 'Bob' Robinson Kelso began his football career with Renton as a defender, and with them he won the Scottish Cup in 1885 and 1888 and played in the unsuccessful 1886 final.

A RHU man, Matthew Dickie, was a Rangers and Scotland international goalkeeper in the early days of the game.

Born in the village on August 19 1873, he opened and ran for many years a successful tobacconist shop, with a much-used billiards saloon upstairs, in Sinclair Street, Helensburgh. He died on December 30 1959 at the age of 86.

ONE of the best known and most liked sportsmen to emerge from the Helensburgh area was Ryder Cup golfer Tom Haliburton.

Son of Mr and Mrs Robert Haliburton, he was born Thomas Bruce Haliburton in Ardencaple Cottage, Rhu, and lived there for some years before the family moved to Loudon Cottage, Shandon, where he learned to play and love golf.